1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains to exercise apparatus which is in the form of a trainer that provides a simulated walking or running stride. The trainer of this invention falls within the field of exercise and therapeutic devices such as stepping machines, simulated cross country ski machines, stationary bicycles, as well as other types of exercise trainers. It more particularly relates to those types of exercise trainers within the art and background related to pedals that can be reciprocated as attached to a pair of cranks to provide for a simulated walking or running motion for both exercise and physical therapy.
2. Description of the Related Art
Exercise and therapeutic training devices come in many forms. As is generally known, such exercise devices can include stationary bicycles such as those of the reclining and vertical type. Further to this extent, there are such devices that are simulated stepping machines which allow one to step upwardly and downwardly to simulate a climbing of stairs. Also well known are treadmills that simulate running, jogging, and walking vigorously.
There are other well known devices that not only include cycling but also efforts related to treadmill workouts.
Treadmills generally permit a user to walk, jog or run on a stationary machine. However, they are considered impact devices which in some cases are not as beneficial to the user as for example a low impact device such as a bicycle whether it be a reclining or vertical bicycle or such stepping machines as are known in the art.
There are exercise trainers that are currently known in the art that simulate a running, walking, or jogging effort on a pair of pedals. These pedals are physically connected to cranks that are under a load. Such exercise trainers can have their pedals trace a path approximating an ellipse or what can be considered as a modified elliptical path. One of the drawbacks of such modified elliptical paths is that the major axis of the path is limited to being twice the crank's length.
When the foregoing translates to the diameter of the wheel or disk under load that is being driven, it creates a significantly high pedal step up. This does not provide sufficient aerobic effort nor provide for enough hip flexure to maximize a cardiovascular workout through the leg, hip, quadriceps, and other muscle portions of the body. Also, when used as a physical therapy device, it is cumbersome, bulky, high, and difficult for a patient to use.
In order to overcome the deficiencies of the prior art, this invention utilizes a unique relative motion concept with respect to the foot links and the foot pedals. The invention in order to accomplish this, utilizes a foot pedal mounted with rollers on a foot link. This allows relative motion when the foot pedal has been maintained by a relationship to a ground or non-moving portion. The foot pedal moves in relationship to a fixed or grounded area such as the frame.
A flexible belt like element that can be in the form of a belt, chain, cable, or other member allows the foot pedal to slide relative to the foot link as the foot link reciprocates backwardly and forwardly. In effect, the flexible member pulls the foot pedal relative to the foot link in the direction of foot link travel. The net effect is to increase the stride length by a factor of approximately four relative to ground. The normal relative movement would be approximately two times the crank length
The foot links with the flexible member when moving backwardly cause a pulling of the foot pedals backwardly along the length of the foot link. This creates a stride with a modified elliptical motion while at the same time maintaining a small crank diameter.
The exercise and therapeutic trainer of this device is particularly enhanced by providing a seat for physical therapy. The seat allows a patient to sit on the trainer. The patient can then use the foot pedals in a manner whereby the patient can move them with a modified limited effort. In particular, a lesser effort than is normally required can be effected by having a motor drive the foot pedals and the foot links. The action emulates a more natural gait or stride to return the rehabilitating patient to walking and running capability.
The motor when driving the foot links and pedals allows a therapy patient to move their respective legs and feet in a manner to provide therapy at a particularly desired level of effort for that particular patient. For instance, the level of therapy can be changed by an automatic adjustment on a panel to allow for increases or decreases in overall speed and effort.
Furthermore, the motor driving the pedals of the therapy unit can be overdriven by the patient beyond the motor driven movement. This overdrive by the patient allows the motor to exert a braking effort on the patient so that a certain amount of positive effort is required upon the part of the patient for therapy purposes. In this manner the patient exerts more effort as they regain strength during the rehabilitating process.